Dallas Cowboys Blog

Is former Cowboy Terrell Owens a scapegoat?

Ravens receiver Derrick Mason thinks Terrell Owens can be an asset for a contending team and has been a “scapegoat” in the past.

“Sometimes, the perception becomes reality and it’s not fair,” Mason told Sporting News. “Looking at him, you can see he’s in great shape, that he can still fare well and produce numbers. But now he’s been treated like a scapegoat for what happened in Buffalo; it’s unfair. After a while, right or wrong, there are just some teams that don’t want to deal with a potential headache. He can be still an asset for some contending team.”

Owens, the former Dallas Cowboy, is a free agent after not being re-signed by the Buffalo Bills. No teams have publicly shown interest for the receiver.

He told NFL Total Access recently that, “There are some teams out there that have created some interest, and a few of those teams asked to be anonymous. We’re just waiting for the right opportunity.”

When asked if he was surprised to still be on the market: “That I am. That I am.

“I think why I’m not on a team is not because I can’t play. It’s based off character issues, and I think that’s where the situation lies, and I don’t think it’s fair. As far as me being able to produce and perform on a football field, I can do that — that’s not a question.”

Owens wants to be paid like a starter, but he said “I’m not pricing myself out of the market at all — again, those are rumors.”

As to his relationship with new Redskins QB Donovan McNabb, Owens’ old teammate in Philadelphia, Owens said their tumultuous relationship is behind them.

“I think what a lot of people don’t know is that Donovan and I — we have squashed our issues, we’ve talked about them, we’ve moved on,” Owens said. “We talked about the idea of actually playing together. That was something that I’d welcome with open arms and he as well. If that was a situation to come about and happen, then we know what we can do on a football field together.”